A concerning trend has emerged in recent years among health and beauty supplements sold in retail pharmacies and minimarts. While many brands responsibly list full ingredient details on their product packaging, an increasing number of products fail to do so, offering only vague summaries of “active ingredients” or “main ingredients.” Some products, ranging from collagen powders to vitamins and fruit juices, even lack an English translation of their ingredients altogether.
This issue has frustrated many discerning consumers who are cautious about what they put into their bodies. For these customers, finding a complete list of ingredients often requires searching online. In some cases, scanning a QR code provided on the packaging can resolve the issue, but not all brands offer such an option. Even when the brand’s official website is consulted, it can sometimes be just as unhelpful—filled instead with flashy images, glowing testimonials, and assurances of the product’s purity, convenience, and efficacy, but without a clear, comprehensive ingredients list.
In some instances, when the ingredients list is available, it’s presented in the native language of the product’s country of origin, leaving many customers without the transparency they need. While many people still prefer to buy from retail outlets, where items are subject to regulation, there is an expectation that the product packaging will provide clear information in a language that consumers can understand. This contrasts with the often incomplete or missing ingredient details provided by foreign sellers on popular online shopping platforms, where sellers may not be required to list all ingredients.
In an era where allergies, sensitivities, and food and drug intolerances are more prevalent, the need for a transparent, accurate, and comprehensive ingredient list is more important than ever. Surely, the space on a product’s packaging—on all six surfaces of a rectangular box—could be used more effectively for clear ingredient declarations rather than just persuasive marketing. It is hoped that the relevant authorities will address this issue to ensure better consumer protection.
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